Stabilizing apparatus for a portable electronic device

Abstract

Described is an arrangement stabilizing a hand-held portable electronic device. The device includes an integral support on which the device rests when placed on a work surface. The arrangement has a stabilizing member including a work surface contacting base and a coupling mechanism securing the stabilizing member to the device in a support configuration. When in the support configuration, a width of the base is greater than that of the integral support. The coupling mechanism is releasable to allow the stabilizing member to move to a stowed configuration. When in the stowed configuration, a profile of the device is reduced in comparison with that in the support configuration.

1 . An arrangement stabilizing a hand-held portable electronic device, the arrangement comprising: 
 a stabilizing member including a work surface contacting base; and    a coupling mechanism securing the stabilizing member to the device in a support configuration wherein, when in the support configuration, a width of the base is greater than that of an integral support surface on which the device would rest when placed on a flat surface, the coupling mechanism being releasable to allow the stabilizing member to move to a stowed configuration wherein, when in the stowed configuration, a profile of the device is reduced in comparison with that in the support configuration.    
   
   
       2 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a plurality of feet, a width of the base extending between outer edges of outer-most ones of the feet.  
   
   
       3 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the stabilizing member is selected so that, when in the support configuration, the integral support does not contact a work surface on which the device is placed.  
   
   
       4 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes at least one coupling member receiving opening formed in the device and a coupling member extending from the stabilizing member, the coupling member being sized to be frictionally received within the coupling member receiving opening.  
   
   
       5 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes a mounting projection extending from the stabilizing member, the mounting projection being sized to be frictionally received within a corresponding mounting hole of the device.  
   
   
       6 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes a hinge pivotally coupling the stabilizing member to the device for rotation between the stowed and deployed configurations.  
   
   
       7 . The arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing member includes a plurality of feet which, when in the deployed configuration are separated from one another by a distance greater than when in the stowed configuration.  
   
   
       8 . The arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein the stabilizing member is coupled to a hand strap of the device.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus for stabilizing a portable electronic device including a housing with an irrelgularly shaped bottom surface, the apparatus comprising: 
 a stabilizing member having a height sufficient so that, when placed on a flat surface, the stabilizing member rests on the flat surface and the integral supporting surface is raised out of contact with the flat surface; and    a releaseable coupling for selectively coupling the stabilizing member to and de-coupling the stabilizing member from the housing.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the releaseable coupling includes a projection extending from the stabilizing member, the projection being sized for a friction fit within an opening in the housing.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the releaseable coupling includes a hinge rotatably coupling the stabilizing member to the housing for rotation between a stowed position in which the stabilizing member lays substantially flat against the housing and a deployed position in which the stabilizing member projects from a bottom surface of the housing so that, when positioned on a flat surface the stabilizing member contacts the flat surface.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein, when in the stowed position, the stabilizing member rests in a recess shaped so that an outer surface of the stabilizing member forms a substantially continuous surface with portions of the housing surrounding the recess.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom surface of the housing includes at least one projection extending outward therefrom including an integral supporting surface and wherein the height of the stabilizing member is selected so that, when in the deployed position, the integral supporting surface is raised out of contact with a flat surface on which the housing is positioned.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the stabilizing member is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus for stabilizing a portable electronic device including a housing with an irrelgularly shaped bottom surface, the apparatus comprising: 
 a stabilizing member having width in a stowed configuration which is less than a width of the stabilizing member in a deployed configuration; and    a deploying mechanism which, when actuated, moves at least a portion of the stabilizer toward a lateral edge of the bottom surface to increase the of the stabilizing member.